MIMI. Alberich . . .
HAGEN. Alberich?
MIMI. He is dead!
HAGEN. [With wild start.] Dead!
MIMI. Yes . . . he died last night!
HAGEN. [Turns pale and staggers; then leaps at Mimi, clutching him by
the arm.] No! NO!
MIMI. It is true.
HAGEN. My God! [A look of wild, drunken rapture crosses his face; he
clenches his hands and raises his arms.] Ha, ha, ha!
MIMI. [Shrinks in horror.] Prince Hagen!
HAGEN. He is dead! He is dead! [Leaps at mimi.] The gold?
MIMI. The gold is yours.
HAGEN. Ha, ha, ha! It is mine! It is mine! [Begins pacing the floor
wildly.] Victory! Victory! VICTORY! Ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha! [Spreads
out his arms, with a triumphant shout.] I have them! By God! Isman!
Plimpton and Rutherford! Estelle! I have them all! It is triumph! It
is glory! It is the world! I am King! I am King! King! KING! [Seizes
MIMI and starts centre; the music rises to climax.] To Nibelheim! To
Nibelheim! [Stands stretching out his arms in exultation; a wild burst
of music.] Make way for Hagen! Make way for Hagen!
[CURTAIN]
ACT III
[The conservatory is a study in green and gold, with strange tropical
plants having golden flowers. There are entrances right and left. In
the centre, up-stage, is a niche with a gold table and a couple of
gold chairs, and behind these a stand with the "coronation cup"; to
the right the golden throne from Nibelheim, and to the left a gold
fountain splashing gently.] [At rise: The stage is empty. The strains
of an orchestra heard from ball-room, left.]
MRS. BAGLEY-WILLIS. [Enters, right, with DE WIGGLESTON RIGGS; she
wears a very low-cut gown, a stomacher and tiara of diamonds, and
numerous ropes of pearls.] Well, Wiggie, he has made a success of it!
DE WIGGLESTON RIGGS. [Petit and exquisite.] He was certain to make a
success when Mrs. Bagley-Willis took him up!
MRS. B.-W. But he wouldn't do a single thing I told him. I never had
such a protege in my life!
DE W. R. Extraordinary!
MRS. B.-W. I told him it would be frightfully crude, and it is. And
yet, Wiggie, it's impressive, in its way . . . nobody can miss the
feeling. Such barbaric splendor!
DE W. R. The very words! Barbaric splendor!
MRS. B.-W. I never heard of anything like it . . . the man simply
poured out money. It's quite in a different class from other affairs.
DE W. R. [Holding up his hands.] Stupefying!
MRS. B.-W. And did you ever know the public to take such interest in a
social event? People haven't even stopped to think about the panic in
Wall Street.
DE W. R. I assure you, Mrs. Bagley-Willis, it begins a new epoch in
our social history. [To LORD ALDERDYCE, who enters, left, with
GERALD.] How do you do, Lord Alderdyce?
MRS. B.-W. Good evening, Lord Alderdyce. Good evening, Gerald.
LORD A. Good evening, Mrs. Bagley-Willis. Good evening, Mr. Riggs.
GERALD. Good evening, Wiggie! [DE W. R. and MRS. B.-W. move toward
left.] I suppose that old lady's taken to herself all the credit for
this evening's success!
LORD A. Well, really, you know, wasn't it . . . ah . . . quite a feat
to make society swallow this adventurer?
GERALD. How can anybody stay away? When a man spends several millions
on a single entertainment people have to come out of pure curiosity.
LORD A. To be sure! I did, anyway!
GER. [Gazing about.] Think of buying all the old Vandergrift palaces
at one swoop!
LORD A. Oh, really!
GER. This palace was one of the landmarks of the city; all its
decorations had been taken from old palaces in Italy. And he tore
everything off and gave it away to a museum, and he made it over in
three months!
LORD A. Amazing. [Music and applause heard left.]
MRS. B.-W. Mazzanini must be going to sing again.
DE W. R. Let us go!
MRS. B.-W. Fancy opera stars to dance to! A waltz song at a thousand
dollars a minute!
DE W. R. Ah, but SUCH a song!
[They go off, left; half a dozen guests enter, right, and cross in
groups.]
RUTH. [Enters, right, with PLIMPTON; looking about.] An extraordinary
get-up!
PLIMP. Appalling extravagance, Rutherford! Appalling!
RUTH. Practically everybody's here.
PLIMP. Everybody I ever heard of.
RUTH. One doesn't meet you at balls very often, Plimpton.
PLIM. No. To tell the truth, I came from motives of prudence.
RUTH. Humph! To tell the truth, so did I !
PLIM. The man is mad, you know . . . and one can't tell what might
offend him!
RUTH. And with the market in such a state!
PLIM. It's terrible ! Terrible! . . . ah, Lord Alderdyce!
LORD A. Good evening, Mr. Plimpton. How d'ye do, Mr. Rutherford?
RUTH. As well as could be expected, Lord Alderdyce. It's a trying time
for men of affairs. [They pass on, and go of, left.]
GER. They must be under quite a strain just now.
LORD A. Don't mention it. Don't mention it! I've invested all my funds
in this country, and I tremble to pick up the last edition of the
paper!
MRS. IS. [Enters, right, costumed en grande dame, much excited.] Oh,
Gerald, Lord Alderdyce, what do you think I've just heard?
LORD A. What?
MRS. IS. About Prince Hagen and Mrs. Bagley-Willis . . . how she came
to take him up! Percy Pennington told me about it . . . he's her own
first cousin, you know, Lord Alderdyce . . . and he vows he saw the
letter in her desk!
LORD A. Oh, tell us!
MRS. IS. Well, it was just after Prince Hagen made his appearance,
when the papers were printing pages about him. And the news came that
he'd bought these palaces; and the next day Mrs. Bagley-Willis got a
letter marked personal. Percy quoted the words . . . Dear Madam: I
wish to enter Society. I have no time to go through with the usual
formalities. I am a nobleman, with an extraordinary mind and unlimited
money. I intend to entertain New York Society as it has never dreamed
of being entertained before. I should be very pleased if you would co-
operate with me in making my opening ball a success. If you are
prepared to do this, I am prepared to pay you the sum of one million
dollars cash as soon as I receive your acceptance. Needless to say, of
course, this proposition is entirely confidential!
LORD. A. By jove!
MRS. IS. Think of it!
GER. But can it be true?
MRS. IS. What is more likely, my dear? You know that Mrs. Bagley-
Willis has been spending millions every season to entertain at
Newport; and their fortune will never stand that! Oh, I must give it
to Van Tribber . . . he'll see that the papers have it!
LORD A. But hadn't you better make sure that it's really . . .
MRS. IS. It doesn't make the slightest difference! Everybody will know
that it's true!
GER. They are ready to believe anything about Prince Hagen.
MRS. IS. Certainly, after a glimpse of this palace. Did you ever see
such
frantic money-spending in your life?
LORD A. Never!
MRS. IS. Gold! Gold! I am positively blinded with the sight of gold.
I'd seen every kind of decoration and furniture, I thought . . . but
solid gold is new to me!
LORD A. Just look at this cup, for instance! [Points to coronation
cup.] And those fountains . . . I believe that even the basins are of
gold.
MRS. IS. Perhaps we could stop the water and see.
LORD A. I must go . . . I have a dance. I am sorry not to see your
daughter.
MRS. IS. Yes . . . it was too bad she couldn't come. Good-bye. [LORD
ALDERDYCE exit.]
MRS. IS. [Pointing to throne.] Look at that thing, Gerald!
GER. Yes . . . no wonder the crowd came!
MRS. IS. I imagine a good many came because they didn't dare stay
away. They certainly can't be enjoying themselves after such a day
down town.
GER. It was too bad the panic should come just on the eve of the ball.
MRS. IS. My dear Gerald! That's his sense of humor! He wanted to bring
them here and set them to dancing and grinning, while in their hearts
they are frightened to death.
GER. How did he do it, anyway?
MRS. IS. Why, he seems to have money without limit . . . and he's been
buying and buying . . . everything in sight! You know how prices have
been soaring the past two months. And of course the public went wild,
and took to speculating. Then Prince Hagen sold; and the bottom has
simply dropped out of everything.
GER. I see. And do you suppose the slump has hit father ?
MRS. IS. I don't know. He won't talk to me about it. But it's easy to
see how distressed he is. And then, to cap the climax, Estelle refuses
to come here! Prince Hagen is certain to be furious.
GER. For my part, I admire her courage.
MRS. IS. But, Gerald . . . we can't afford to defy this man.
GER. Estelle can afford it, I hope.
MRS. IS. Here comes your father now. Look at him! Gerald, won't you
go, please . . . I want to have a talk with him.
GER. All right. [Exit, right.]
MRS. IS. John!
ISMAN. [Enters, left, pale and depressed.] What is it?
MRS. IS. You look so haggard and worried!
IS. I AM worried!
MRS. IS. You ought to be home in bed.
IS. I couldn't sleep. What good would it do?
MRS. IS. Aren't you going to get any rest at all?
IS. It's time for reports from the London markets pretty soon. They
open at five o'clock, by our time. And I'm hoping there may be some
support for Intercontinental . . . it's my last hope
MRS. IS. Oh, dear me! Dear me!
IS. If that fails, there is nothing left for us. We are ruined!
Utterly ruined!
MRS. IS. John!
IS. We shall be paupers!
MRS. IS. John Isman, that's absurd! A man who's worth a hundred
million dollars, like you . . .
IS. It'll be gone . . . all of it!
MRS. IS. Gone?
Is. Do you realize that to-day I had to sell every dollar of my
Transatlantic stock?
MRS. IS. [Horrified.] Good God!
IS. There has never been a day like it in all history ! There are no
words to tell about it!
MRS. IS. Oh, that monster!
IS. And the worst of it is, the man seems to be after me particularly!
Everything I rely upon seems to collapse . . . everywhere I turn I
find that I'm blocked.
MRS. IS. Oh, it must have been because of that affair in our house . .
. and in the saloon that dreadful night. We ought never to have gone
to that place! I knew as soon as I laid eyes on the man that he'd do
us harm.
IS. We must keep out of his power. We must save what we can from the
wreck and learn to do with it. You'll have to give up your Newport
plans this year.
MRS. IS. [Aghast.] What!
IS. We won't be able to open the house.
MRS. IS. You're mad!
IS. My dear . . .
MRS. IS. Now, John Isman, you listen to me! I was quite sure you had
some such idea in your mind! And I tell you right now, I simply will
not hear of it! I . . .
IS. But what can we do, my dear?
MRS. IS. I don't know what we can do! But you'll have to raise money
somehow. I will not surrender my social position to Mrs. Bagley-Willis
. . . not for all the Wall Street panics in the world. Oh, that man is
a fiend! I tell you, John Isman . . .
IS. Control yourself!
HAGEN. [Off right.] Very well! I shall be charmed, I'm sure. [Enters.]
Oh! How do you do, Mrs. Isman?
MRS. IS. Oh, Prince Hagen, a most beautiful evening you've given us.
HAGEN. Ah ! I'm glad if you've enjoyed it.
MRS. IS. Yes, indeed . . .
IS. Prince Hagen, may I have a few words with you?
HAGEN. Why, surely . . . if you wish . . .
IS. I do.
MRS. IS. Prince Hagen will excuse me. [Exit, left.]
HAGEN. [Goes to table, centre, and sits opposite ISMAN.] Well?
IS. Prince Hagen, what do you want with me?
HAGEN. [Surprised.] Why . . . the pleasure of your company.
IS. I mean in the Street.
HAGEN. Oh! Have you been hit?
IS. Don't mock me. You have used your resources deliberately to ruin
me. You have followed me . . . you have taken every railroad in which
I am interested, and driven it to the wall. And I ask you, man to man,
what do you want?
HAGEN. [After some thought.] Isman, listen to me. You remember four
months ago I offered you a business alliance ?
IS. I had no idea of your resources then. Had I known, I should not
have rejected your offer. Am I being punished for that?
HAGEN. No, Isman . . . it isn't punishment. Had you gone into the
alliance with me it would have been just the same. It was my purpose
to get you into my power.
IS. Oh!
HAGEN. To bring you here . . . to make you sit down before me, and
ask, What do you want? . . . And so I will tell you what I want, man
to man! [A pause.] I want your daughter.
IS. [Starts.] What!
HAGEN. I want your daughter.
IS. Good God!
HAGEN. Do you understand now?
IS. [Whispering.] I understand!
HAGEN. Isman, you are a man of the world, and we can talk together. I
love your daughter, and I wish to make her my wife.
IS. And so you ruined me!
HAGEN. Four months ago I was an interloper and an adventurer. In a
month or two I shall be the master of your financial and political
world. Then I had nothing to offer your daughter. Now I can make her
the first lady of the land.
IS. But, man, we don't sell our children . . . not in America.
HAGEN. Don't talk to me like a fool, Isman. I never have anything to
do with your shams.
IS. But the girl! She must consent!
HAGEN. I'll attend to that. Meantime, I want you to know what I mean.
On the day that your daughter marries me I will put you at the head of
my interests, and make you the second richest man in America. You
understand?
IS. [Weakly.] I understand.
HAGEN. Very well.
And don't forget to tell your wife about it. [He
rises.]
IS. Is that all?
HAGEN. No; one thing more. Your daughter is not here to-night.
IS. No.
HAGEN. I wish her to come.
IS. But . . . she is indisposed!
HAGEN. That is a pretext. She did not want to come.
IS. Possibly . . .
HAGEN. Tell her to come.
IS. [Startled.] What? Now? It is too late!
HAGEN. Nonsense. Your home is only a block away. Telephone to her.
IS. [Dismayed.] But . . . she will not be ready.
HAGEN. Tell her to come! Whatever she is wearing, she will outshine
them all. [ISMAN hesitates a moment, as if to speak, then goes off,
right, half dazed; the other watches him, laughing silently to
himself.] That's all right! [Sees Calkins.] Ah, Calkins!
CALKINS. [Enters with an armful of papers.] Here are the morning
papers, Prince.
HAGEN. Ah! [Takes them.] Still moist! Did you think I wanted them that
badly?
CAL. Promptness never harms.
HAGEN. [Opening papers.] That's true. Ah, they hardly knew which was
more important . . . the ball or the panic! We filled them up pretty
full. Did you see if they followed the proofs?
CAL. There are no material changes.
HAGEN. Ha! Ha! Cartoons! Prince Hagen invites the Four Hundred with
one hand and knocks them down with the other! Pretty good! Pretty
good! What's this? Three millions to decorate his palaces . . . half a
million for a single ball?
CAL. I suppose they couldn't credit the figures.
HAGEN. Humph! We'll educate them! [Sweeps papers out of the way.] So
much for that! Were all the orders for the London opening gone over?
CAL. All correct, Prince.
HAGEN. Very good! That's all. [CAL. exit.] They're all anxious about
London . . . I can see it! Ah, Gerald!
GER. [Enters, right.] Hello!
HAGEN. [Smiling.] You see, they came to my party!
GER. Yes.
HAGEN. They smile and chatter . . . they bow and cringe to me . . .
and I have not preached any of your Christian virtues, either!
GER. No. I grant it. It's a very painful sight. [After a pause.] That
was a pleasant fancy . . . to have a panic on the eve of your ball!
HAGEN. It wasn't nearly as bad as I meant it to be. Wait and see
today's!
GER. What's the end of it all?
HAGEN. The end? Why have an end? I didn't make this game . . . I play
it according to other men's rules. I buy and sell stocks, and make
what money I can. The end may take care of itself.
GER. It's rather hard on the helpless people, isn't it?
HAGEN. Humph ! The people! [After a pause.] Gerald, this world of
yours has always seemed to me like a barrel full of rats. There's only
room for a certain number on top, and the rest must sweat for it till
they die.
GER. It's not a very pleasant image to think of.
HAGEN. I don't think of it. I simply happen to find myself on top, and
I stay there and enjoy the view. [Seats himself at table.] As a matter
of fact, Gerald, one of the things I intend to do with this world is
to clean it up. Don't imagine that I will tolerate such stupid waste
as we have at present . . . everybody trying to cheat everybody else,
and nobody to keep the streets clean. It's as if a dozen mere should
go out into a field to catch a horse, and spend all their time in
trying to keep each other from catching it. When I take charge they'll
catch the horse.
Prince Hagen Page 4